1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,520 Thank you for listening to this message from Lifehouse Church. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:55,040 All right, good morning, Lifehouse. 3 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,600 It's good to have you in God's house this morning. 4 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,480 Heard you worshiping all morning long. 5 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:00,480 I do know this. 6 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,680 God's word says that God inhabits the praises of his people. 7 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:08,160 And I notice as the worship goes up, you can feel God's presence come down, right? 8 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:12,620 The more we engage in worship, the more we feel God's presence all around us. 9 00:01:12,620 --> 00:01:14,620 You begin to sense his move. 10 00:01:14,620 --> 00:01:15,620 And I have felt that. 11 00:01:15,620 --> 00:01:20,660 And I don't know, there's just this interesting thing as I felt God's presence coming in today. 12 00:01:20,660 --> 00:01:21,660 There's this sense of peace. 13 00:01:21,660 --> 00:01:24,940 I don't know if anybody else has experienced it, but there's this sense of peace in my 14 00:01:24,940 --> 00:01:25,940 spirit. 15 00:01:25,940 --> 00:01:26,940 So it's good stuff. 16 00:01:26,940 --> 00:01:28,360 Man, it is good to be in God's house. 17 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,720 I love when God speaks, moves, and touches. 18 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:33,120 That's why you come, right? 19 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,160 You don't come just to hear me or just to see the person sitting beside you. 20 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,520 But we should become to experience God himself. 21 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:40,520 All right? 22 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:41,520 Amen? 23 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:42,520 Amen. 24 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:43,520 Well, it is Christmas time. 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:49,160 It is, hopefully you've experienced some of that Christmas spirit as you've gone along. 26 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:54,640 And this morning, I kind of want to talk about something that goes along the lines with Christmas, 27 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:55,640 something that's pretty familiar. 28 00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:02,120 And where Dixie and I live currently, we moved two years ago and where we live now, when 29 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:09,320 we call home now, I would describe where we live as a suburbanite meets country kind of 30 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:10,320 area. 31 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:11,320 All right? 32 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,200 Our neighborhood is tucked between two farmer's fields. 33 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:15,880 They love to spray manure there. 34 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:16,880 So, right? 35 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,960 So in the summertime, when the wind's just right, we smell all like a barn, right? 36 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,920 And when the wind goes the other direction, not so much. 37 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:28,480 And I love this neighborhood because we're not quite sure for suburbanites or for country 38 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:29,480 folk. 39 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,920 And it works out really well for Dixie and I because the inner suburbanite and her comes 40 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:38,440 out and the country, Hick and me comes out all at the same time where we live. 41 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:43,160 But one of the interesting things that happens in this neighborhood, we're able to tell when 42 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:49,680 Christmas is approaching because in this neighborhood, people begin to put up Christmas lights early, 43 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:50,680 right? 44 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:55,480 The houses, if you come into my neighborhood and it begins to get dark, right? 45 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,440 All of a sudden, the houses begin to be outlined with lights. 46 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,520 You start to find lights in the front yards. 47 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,880 You start to find houses lit up. 48 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,760 And if you happen to live in a suburbanite neighborhood like we do, right? 49 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,320 No matter what size that neighborhood is, how many know there's always that person who 50 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:12,960 gets their lights up first? 51 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:13,960 Yeah, right? 52 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:18,320 You know, there's that person in the neighborhood who's the first to get their lights out, always 53 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,360 a little bit too early, in my opinion, right? 54 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:22,960 But they get them up first. 55 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:23,960 And I'm not going to lie. 56 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:25,440 I want to be that person. 57 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:26,440 All right. 58 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,440 I want to be the first one and I want to be the best in my neighborhood. 59 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:31,920 That rarely happens. 60 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:34,040 But I want to get the lights just right. 61 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:35,400 I want to get them perfect. 62 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,600 I want to light it up. 63 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,560 I want to set the mood for Christmas, right? 64 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,600 And I got to tell you, there's a little bit of spiritual competitiveness or maybe unspiritual 65 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:48,320 competitiveness that comes out in getting those lights up first. 66 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,000 And you know, I don't know what it is. 67 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,600 We want to pull into the neighborhood. 68 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,160 We want it to feel good. 69 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:55,280 You want to feel like Christmas. 70 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,080 You want it to feel perfectly like Christmas, right? 71 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,000 How many know sometimes you get that feel good feeling when you go to see the lights? 72 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,640 Anybody go see the lights yet? 73 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:03,640 Right. 74 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:04,640 Cruise around. 75 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,200 You head up into Hershey lights somewhere like that. 76 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:11,740 And we go to great lengths, really at Christmas time, to make sure that it feels like Christmas. 77 00:04:11,740 --> 00:04:13,560 We put up decorations, right? 78 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,640 We put up lights and lights play a big part of that. 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,560 We put Christmas lights all over everything. 80 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:19,560 It's true in here. 81 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,880 It's all lit up with Christmas trees, right? 82 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:23,880 We put lights on our trees. 83 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,700 We put lights on our houses. 84 00:04:25,700 --> 00:04:27,880 We put lights on our front lawn. 85 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,000 We put lights on our cars. 86 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,760 We put it on tractors. 87 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,000 I've seen it on a backhoe this year, right? 88 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,040 Last night I saw a school bus. 89 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,280 The thing from front to back was lights, right? 90 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:46,880 We'll light up just about anything and stick lights on anything for Christmas to feel like 91 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:47,880 Christmas. 92 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,160 Tell, go ahead, turn to your neighbor right now. 93 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,600 Tell them the weirdest thing you've ever seen lit up in a front yard. 94 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:53,600 Go ahead. 95 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:54,600 Tell them right this second. 96 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:55,600 Come on. 97 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,080 The weirdest thing you've ever seen lit up in a front yard and it could be in your yard. 98 00:04:58,080 --> 00:04:59,920 I don't know, right? 99 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:02,060 But you name it. 100 00:05:02,060 --> 00:05:03,060 You name it. 101 00:05:03,060 --> 00:05:07,720 We slap lights on it and we want that Christmas feel. 102 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,740 We want that perfect Christmas. 103 00:05:09,740 --> 00:05:15,460 We want to go down the road and do the ooh and do the ah. 104 00:05:15,460 --> 00:05:20,120 And while we are big proponents of those Christmas lights, helping us to feel like it is the 105 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:28,320 perfect Christmas, we may or may not be aware of how significant those little lights really 106 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:29,320 are. 107 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:35,980 Honestly, I can't overstate the importance of light when we talk about Christmas. 108 00:05:35,980 --> 00:05:42,320 When we talk about Jesus and His birth, I cannot overstate the reality and the importance 109 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,400 that scripture bears out of light in our lives. 110 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:53,760 And matter of fact, all the scripture really boils down all of life to light and to darkness. 111 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:54,760 It really does. 112 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,280 If you start to look at scripture from Genesis to Revelation, you'll start to find out that 113 00:05:58,280 --> 00:06:01,260 all of life boils down to light and to darkness. 114 00:06:01,260 --> 00:06:04,380 And while so many people will argue about the gray, right? 115 00:06:04,380 --> 00:06:06,120 Everybody always wants to talk about the gray. 116 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:07,920 You know, well, this is kind of a gray area. 117 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,540 That's kind of a gray area. 118 00:06:09,540 --> 00:06:11,320 Scripture doesn't talk much about the gray. 119 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,600 It talks about light and it talks about darkness. 120 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,300 You can start in Genesis and move through to Jesus' birth and you can go the whole way 121 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:24,540 to Revelation and you're going to start to find out what God says about light. 122 00:06:24,540 --> 00:06:30,520 Even in generation, in Genesis, God gives light an assignment. 123 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,760 So if you got your Bibles this morning, I want you to go ahead and turn to Genesis chapter 124 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:34,760 one. 125 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,480 Kind of an odd place to start with the Christmas message, but I want to go to Genesis chapter 126 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,280 one and we're going to start at verse three. 127 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:43,440 And while you're turning, I'm going to pray over our ears receiving the word of God. 128 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,320 Father, we come before you grateful, thankful for this day. 129 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:47,880 God, I thank you for your word. 130 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,320 God, that soaks into our spirit, into our heart. 131 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:54,040 I thank you for the light of God, Lord, the light that shines in our path. 132 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,400 Lord, I pray God illuminate today. 133 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,600 God, I pray that you light up today in our spirits. 134 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:00,600 God, your word. 135 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,880 God, that it might impact us in an amazing way, and Lord, we'll just give you praise 136 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,820 and glory all along the way. 137 00:07:06,820 --> 00:07:08,320 In Jesus name, I pray this. 138 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:09,320 Amen. 139 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:10,320 Everybody say it together. 140 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:11,320 Amen. 141 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:12,320 Amen. 142 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,160 Genesis chapter one, verse three, it says this, and God said, let there be what? 143 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:17,160 Light. 144 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:18,160 Right. 145 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,120 And there was light and God saw the light and it was good. 146 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,340 And God divided the light from the darkness. 147 00:07:23,340 --> 00:07:28,080 God called the light day and the darkness He called night and the evening and the morning 148 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:29,840 were the first day. 149 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,240 So at the creation of the planet, right? 150 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:38,160 When God, the creator steps out and says, I'm going to create all things on this earth, 151 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,440 He takes light and He takes darkness and He separates the two. 152 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,900 He puts one over here and one over here. 153 00:07:45,900 --> 00:07:50,160 And God Himself begins to divide light from the darkness. 154 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:56,040 He literally gives each of them an assignment and actually in particular light and assignment. 155 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:01,200 If you jump down to Genesis chapter one, verse 14, it says this, then God said, let there 156 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,920 be lights in the firmament, right up in the heavens in space to divide the day from the 157 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:11,120 night and let them be for signs and seasons for days and for years. 158 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:12,120 Right. 159 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:13,120 Light, right. 160 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,520 Night and day separate us. 161 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:15,520 Right. 162 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:16,520 That's what you have in the day. 163 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:17,520 Right. 164 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:18,520 You got night and day makes a day. 165 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:19,520 It makes years. 166 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:20,520 Right. 167 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,140 We measure time by this seasons and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens 168 00:08:25,140 --> 00:08:26,920 to give light on the earth. 169 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,640 The obvious reason for light. 170 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:29,640 And it was so. 171 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,520 And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, which is the sun, S-U-M 172 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,120 and the lesser light to rule the night, which is the moon. 173 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,220 And He made stars also. 174 00:08:39,220 --> 00:08:43,600 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth and to rule over 175 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,240 the day and over the night and to divide light from darkness. 176 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:48,760 And God saw that it was good. 177 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,060 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 178 00:08:52,060 --> 00:09:00,040 As we look close at verse 18 in this particular passage, we see a God given assignment for 179 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,120 light. 180 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:06,600 God says that the light is to rule over the day and light is to rule over the night. 181 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:07,600 Right. 182 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:13,120 It is light's God given assignment is to rule over darkness, is to rule over the day and 183 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:14,720 is to rule over night. 184 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:21,360 Anytime light is present, God's given assignment for it is to rule over darkness, is to rule 185 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,560 over the day, is to rule over the night. 186 00:09:23,560 --> 00:09:29,560 The Bible does not say that light and darkness are two equal opposing existing forces. 187 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:31,720 It doesn't say that in God's word. 188 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:36,600 It never mentions darkness ever just ruling over the light. 189 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:43,660 God's word never speaks about darkness having the power over darkness or over or darkness 190 00:09:43,660 --> 00:09:47,080 having power over the light in any way, shape or form. 191 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:55,960 God's divine order for light is that light rules over darkness anytime and every time 192 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:57,920 that light is present. 193 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,920 It is supposed to rule. 194 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,560 Now I know some of you have seen the Burger King commercial. 195 00:10:04,560 --> 00:10:05,960 And you think you're supposed to rule. 196 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:06,960 All right. 197 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:08,240 How many know what I'm talking about? 198 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,760 I mean I get three people in the house seen a Burger King commercial. 199 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:11,760 All right. 200 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:12,760 Give them all. 201 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:13,760 You rule. 202 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:14,760 Nothing. 203 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:15,760 Got nothing. 204 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:16,760 Go look it up. 205 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,680 I thought that would go over a lot better. 206 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:24,920 But God said that the light is to rule. 207 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:26,280 Tell me you're going to get this by Thursday. 208 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:27,280 Go watch the commercial. 209 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:35,760 In God's divine design, right, in his order in the universe, in creation, light is assigned 210 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,480 a purpose. 211 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,760 It's one of God's universal laws. 212 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,640 And you might say, well, why is this significant to you and I? 213 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:45,160 Why does this matter? 214 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:49,720 Because this is one of those times in God's word where the physical slides over into the 215 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:50,720 spiritual. 216 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:55,460 What God spoke in the physical also applies in the spiritual. 217 00:10:55,460 --> 00:10:59,820 We need to realize how powerful this really is in the world that's around us and in our 218 00:10:59,820 --> 00:11:03,560 own lives, physically and spiritually. 219 00:11:03,560 --> 00:11:09,160 If we were physically to have the sun not rule any longer, what would happen if the 220 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:14,600 sun would suddenly cease to shine? 221 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:15,600 What would happen? 222 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:20,160 How many know we would radically alter our lives, right? 223 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:25,520 If the sun stopped today at noontime, it no longer would shine. 224 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,860 The moon would no longer reflect the sun's light in the evening. 225 00:11:29,860 --> 00:11:34,040 We would be in huge trouble in a very short period of time. 226 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:38,000 Everything about life as we know would shift and change very quickly. 227 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,200 Besides not being able to see very well, besides being stumbling around in the dark, right, 228 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,920 within the week, a scientist tells that the average temperature on the surface of the 229 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,280 earth would drop well below zero degrees, right? 230 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:53,640 All across Florida would be zero degrees, right? 231 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,800 Jamaica would be zero degrees and colder. 232 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:03,320 In less than a year, the earth's surface would begin to cool and it would begin to cool off 233 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:08,120 and it would actually drop to a temperature of negative 100 degrees. 234 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,880 Our atmosphere would begin to liquefy and collapse, right? 235 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,240 And the top layers of the earth would freeze and the oceans on the top layers would begin 236 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:17,320 to freeze over. 237 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:24,720 And at a minus 100 degrees, every living thing on the face of the earth would freeze and die 238 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,840 if light did not rule over darkness. 239 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:35,100 And in apocalyptic irony, really, the deep oceans would take about another thousand years 240 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:39,260 from the heat's core to, and because they're so deep to freeze in place. 241 00:12:39,260 --> 00:12:44,320 And when they would freeze in place completely solid, the earth would be a balmy negative 242 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:45,840 400 degrees. 243 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,920 This is according to scientists at the California Institute of Technology. 244 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:57,080 This is where we would be if light would not rule over the darkness, if light would cease. 245 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:58,240 What's the theology? 246 00:12:58,240 --> 00:12:59,240 What's the knowledge? 247 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:00,520 What's the wisdom here? 248 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,360 What's the Christmas truth in this? 249 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,120 Anytime darkness rules over the light, death is inevitable. 250 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:11,840 And anytime light rules over the darkness, God's plan for life is taking place. 251 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:18,160 And that is in the spiritual, that is in the physical, it crosses both borders, right? 252 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:23,600 And that's why at the very first Christmas, when Jesus came in a way, right? 253 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:29,280 When God came to earth, God wrapped in flesh, came in a way nobody was expecting. 254 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:34,000 The incarnation of God, God in flesh, Emmanuel with us, right? 255 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:35,680 He comes to live among us. 256 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:37,160 He comes to be a part. 257 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,600 Light played a huge part in the announcement of Jesus. 258 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,280 The very first Christmas had the very legit Christmas lights, right? 259 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,840 It was a dawn of something. 260 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:53,360 Someone, and some of those who would first hear the message and some of those who would 261 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,280 first hear the announcement and would see the light was the shepherds who were out in 262 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:58,280 a field. 263 00:13:58,280 --> 00:13:59,880 The word of God says that they were watching, right? 264 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:04,400 The shepherds were out watching the flocks by night and an angel of the Lord appears 265 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,840 in the sky and the heavens begin to open up and the angel begins to announce them the 266 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,680 birth of Christ. 267 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:16,220 And the word of God says that the heavens opened, light began to shine everywhere, right? 268 00:14:16,220 --> 00:14:21,240 There was light shining and it scared the heebie-jeebies out of these shepherds. 269 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,920 Have you ever had the heebie-jeebies scared out of you? 270 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:25,400 How many know what I'm talking about? 271 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:26,940 Somebody stands behind the door. 272 00:14:26,940 --> 00:14:29,240 One of your family members thinks it's funny. 273 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:30,360 You walk through the door. 274 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:31,360 They scream. 275 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:32,360 You jump. 276 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,560 You slap them a little bit. 277 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:35,560 Okay, right? 278 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:36,560 Right? 279 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,560 But these shepherds, they saw light scared the heebie-jeebies. 280 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,000 That's what the word of God says, right? 281 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:46,320 In Luke 2 10, it says, do not be afraid for behold, this is the angels talking to the 282 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,040 shepherds because they're freaked out because of all the light. 283 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,760 I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people for theirs born to you 284 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,520 this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. 285 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,100 And this will be assigned to you. 286 00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:03,000 You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. 287 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:07,280 And when the shepherds get done freaking out from all the light and from the heavenly announcement 288 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:14,120 and they begin, they experience light rolling over darkness, they set out to find the light, 289 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:21,560 Jesus Christ in Bethlehem because the light showed up and rolled over the darkness. 290 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:28,520 And it didn't end there because wise men, Magi from the East, kings from the East, they 291 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,520 followed a light to find Jesus Christ. 292 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:36,720 They found, in Matthew 2 1, it says, now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the 293 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,280 days of Herod the king, behold, wise men, these were other kings from the East, other 294 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,720 leaders, Magi came to Jerusalem saying, where is he who has been born king of the Jews? 295 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:52,480 Where we have seen his star, right, in the East and have come to worship him. 296 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:58,920 Now I don't know about you, but I don't know anybody else on the face of the planet who 297 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:03,420 has a legit star that followed them when they were born. 298 00:16:03,420 --> 00:16:05,500 Anybody in the house have that happen? 299 00:16:05,500 --> 00:16:08,360 Anybody know anybody that that's happened with, right? 300 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:12,040 Jesus, when he's born, God lights up the heavens, right? 301 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:13,040 The father lights up. 302 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,280 He actually assigns a star to Jesus. 303 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:20,200 He says this star is your star and this star is going to follow you and it's going to lead 304 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,440 others to you and there's going to be some kings that are going to come. 305 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:28,640 And he literally assigns light in the darkness to follow Christ. 306 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,280 And I know these days, right, you can get, I don't know if you know this or not, but 307 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,280 you can get his star assigned to you. 308 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:39,480 If it's a very romantic gesture, apparently, right, you can get somebody's name, their 309 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,840 name assigned to a star somewhere in the universe. 310 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:46,040 I don't know who came up with this, but how many know that star does not follow you around? 311 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:50,600 It is not going to come to your house and shine light down upon your house and let you 312 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,020 know that's there. 313 00:16:52,020 --> 00:16:56,960 But God the father, when Jesus came to earth, when God himself comes, he places a light 314 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:07,000 in the sky and he literally sends some men, some wealthy, educated Magi that were kings 315 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:13,020 in their own right and they followed this star and this light. 316 00:17:13,020 --> 00:17:15,760 Have you ever stopped to wonder, how do they know? 317 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,120 Did they just go out one night and look up like, wow, look at that nice bright star. 318 00:17:19,120 --> 00:17:20,800 I bet you that leads to Jesus. 319 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,080 I bet you that leads to the king of the Jews, right? 320 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:24,880 Hey, let's pack our bags and head that way. 321 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,440 Do you ever wonder how, you know, I thought about that a little bit. 322 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,160 I thought, how in the world do they know? 323 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:33,840 You know, how did they get, you know, how did they just look up in the skies or study 324 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,840 the heavens and decide, you know what, this star's moving. 325 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,200 This thing's following somebody. 326 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,200 I believe this. 327 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,600 I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to them or angels spoke to them or God came to them in 328 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,320 visions and dreams, all of them. 329 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:47,320 I don't know how it happened. 330 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:51,000 I don't know what order, the word of God doesn't tell us, but God's word does tell us that 331 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:57,760 these Magi, these kings traveled to find the child, the Messiah and not sure, right, were 332 00:17:57,760 --> 00:17:59,760 the stars even going to land them. 333 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:04,720 Verse three says, then hered the king, heard this, hered the king at the time, right? 334 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,240 And he was not a righteous king, which troubled in all Jerusalem with him. 335 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:12,320 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired 336 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,680 them where the Christ was to be born. 337 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:16,800 These Magi come into the country. 338 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,360 They go right to the king of that country, which was Herod. 339 00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:21,440 And they say, we're here. 340 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:22,940 We're following a star. 341 00:18:22,940 --> 00:18:24,440 We know the Messiah has come. 342 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:29,200 We know God is here somewhere and we, he's king of the Jews, right? 343 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,320 And Herod hears this and he's thinking, I don't want no other king. 344 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,400 I'm the king. 345 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,120 And he starts to play along. 346 00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:39,920 So they said to him in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, but 347 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:40,920 you Bethlehem. 348 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,760 Now it's prophesied that Jesus is going to be born. 349 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,680 The Messiah is going to be born in Bethlehem. 350 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,680 But you Bethlehem in the land of Judah are not the least among these rulers of Judah. 351 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,720 But for our view shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 352 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:58,040 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the 353 00:18:58,040 --> 00:18:59,980 star appeared. 354 00:18:59,980 --> 00:19:03,820 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search carefully for the young child. 355 00:19:03,820 --> 00:19:08,680 And when you found him, bring word back to me that I might come worship him also. 356 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,040 Herod is evil. 357 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:14,920 He gets these kings, these magi in front of him and he says, man, that sounds wonderful. 358 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,160 When you find him, you just bring word right on back to me and I'm going to come worship 359 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:19,160 him too. 360 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:20,960 But that was not his plan. 361 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,020 His plan was to kill Jesus. 362 00:19:23,020 --> 00:19:25,560 His plan was to take out the next king. 363 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,200 He didn't want the Messiah to rise up. 364 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,600 And the word Matthew 2, 9 says, then when they heard the king, they departed, the magi 365 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:37,240 departed and behold the star which they had seen in the east went before them to a came 366 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:43,080 and stood over where the young child was and they saw the star and they rejoiced with exceedingly 367 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:44,120 great joy. 368 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:48,120 And when they had come into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, 369 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:52,160 they fell down and worshiped him and they opened their treasures and they presented 370 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:53,480 gifts to him. 371 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,920 Gold, frankincense and myrrh. 372 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,760 They come, they find Jesus. 373 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:03,000 They come into the house where Jesus is now living with his parents and they begin to 374 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,680 present gifts to him. 375 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,200 Gold, frankincense and myrrh. 376 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:13,200 A lot of people, scholars say that those very extravagant gifts actually funded that family 377 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,400 as they raised Jesus up. 378 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:16,400 I don't know. 379 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,080 You know, you can look that up for yourself. 380 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:21,960 But it says then being divinely warned in a dream. 381 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:23,720 Now this is the magi, right? 382 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,400 That they should not return to Herod. 383 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:27,320 The Holy Spirit, maybe an angel came to him. 384 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:28,480 Maybe it was another dream. 385 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,200 They departed to their own country in another way. 386 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:38,780 God starts in Genesis and tells us that light is to rule over the darkness. 387 00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:43,800 And when man invites darkness in to rule over us by sinning, right? 388 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:45,600 Engaging in sin. 389 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:50,260 Once again, God intervenes and he has light come into the world. 390 00:20:50,260 --> 00:20:56,380 He unfolds his plan to rule over darkness with Jesus Christ. 391 00:20:56,380 --> 00:20:59,960 Those twinkling lights that we hang all over the place, right? 392 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:06,400 Christmas time should remind us of the perfect Christmas when light once again came into 393 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,560 the world to rule over darkness. 394 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:15,400 When Jesus came to this earth, they should remind us of the magi that were divinely directed 395 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:16,640 to come into Bethlehem. 396 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:21,800 They should remind us that Jesus is the light of the world who rules over sin completely. 397 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,640 They should remind us that there's no principality. 398 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:25,760 There's no power. 399 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:32,480 There's no ruler of darkness that can overcome the light who is Christ. 400 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:41,600 That God himself, this is God's divine order for light to rule over darkness. 401 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:46,320 And it makes complete sense because the word of God also tells us that God is light. 402 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,280 If you go to 1 John 1, 5, this is the message which we have heard from him and declare to 403 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,600 you that God is what? 404 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:53,640 Light. 405 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:55,680 And in him is no darkness at all. 406 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,480 Genesis tells us that God created light to rule over the darkness. 407 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:04,160 Matthew chapter 2 tells us that Jesus comes to earth and ushers in light to return light 408 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,480 back, the authority back to light. 409 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:11,360 And then John 1, 5 tells us that God himself is light and there's no darkness in him at 410 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:12,360 all. 411 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:16,200 And if you go into Isaiah and you move from there into Revelation, you'll see that God 412 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:22,040 not only is this spiritually, not only is this a metaphorical kind of thing, a concept 413 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,480 kind of thing, but God literally, physically is light. 414 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:31,320 Isaiah 16, 19 says this, the sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness 415 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,840 shall the moon give you light to you. 416 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,500 The Lord will be your everlasting life. 417 00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:39,080 This is talking about in the future. 418 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,120 This is talking about heaven and your God, your glory. 419 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:46,640 Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdrawal itself for the Lord will 420 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:52,000 be your everlasting light and the days of your morning shall be ended. 421 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,100 Revelation 21, 23 says the city had no need of sun or moon. 422 00:22:56,100 --> 00:22:57,920 This is talking about the New Jerusalem. 423 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:03,240 This is talking about one day when we're with God to shine in it for the glory of God illuminated. 424 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:09,440 The lamb is its light and the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light and 425 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:14,000 the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 426 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,340 Revelation 22, 5 says there shall be no night there. 427 00:23:17,340 --> 00:23:22,600 They need no lamp nor light of the sun for the Lord God gives them light and they shall 428 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,440 reign forever. 429 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:36,160 God himself is light, not just metaphorically, not just spiritually, but also physically. 430 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,640 And you got to understand this word is important. 431 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:41,800 We have to get in our spirit. 432 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,960 Light's assignment is to rule over what? 433 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:52,320 This in every aspect and in every way over the day and over the night. 434 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:57,940 And if I can bring this around full circle in his word, look what the word of God says 435 00:23:57,940 --> 00:24:02,560 about you and I. If you're redeemed, if you're saved, if you're 436 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:07,800 righteous, if you're born again, if we're sons and daughters of God, Matthew 5, 14, 437 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:12,280 Jesus says this, you are the light of the world. 438 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,480 A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and put it under 439 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:21,240 a basket, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house. 440 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:26,080 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father 441 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:27,080 in heaven. 442 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:28,880 Now wait a minute. 443 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,040 Let's recap all this. 444 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,160 God the Father creates light. 445 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,560 He assigns light to rule over darkness. 446 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:40,160 Darkness comes into the world through Adam and Eve sin, right? 447 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,800 It's the script, so to speak, darkness begins to rule. 448 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:49,280 The Father sends his son Jesus, who is light, who is God, right? 449 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,680 Wrapped in flesh and says, nope, we're going to flip the script. 450 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,360 Jesus comes, he dies on the cross. 451 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:55,880 He grazes out of the grave. 452 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,880 He takes the authority back and he says, no, light is going to rule over darkness. 453 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:00,880 Right? 454 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:06,160 And it's announced that angels announced this, angelic beings announced this, the heavens 455 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,720 open and then Jesus says, I'm here to set all things right. 456 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:14,320 I'm here to put things back in divine order for light to rule over the darkness. 457 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:18,880 And then through Jesus' resurrection, the word of God says that you and I can come to 458 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,400 a place where we come into relationship with God. 459 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,200 And that is so true. 460 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:30,480 That is so evident that God says not only am I light, but you are light. 461 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,040 This is full circle. 462 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:34,700 Right? 463 00:25:34,700 --> 00:25:39,440 Our God given assignment is to rule over darkness. 464 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,960 Our God given assignment. 465 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:47,000 The first Christmas was the perfect Christmas because it was the rebirth of God's divine 466 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,520 order of light ruling over darkness. 467 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:52,040 Satan tried to mess it up. 468 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:53,040 Right? 469 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:54,160 He tried to rob that authority. 470 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,400 That's what he was doing in the garden. 471 00:25:56,400 --> 00:26:00,680 He was trying to flip the script so darkness would rule over light. 472 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:01,840 And God said, not so fast. 473 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,860 I'm going to send my son and he's going to come as a baby. 474 00:26:05,860 --> 00:26:12,240 He's going to die and he is going to go back to the divine order as the worship team comes. 475 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,520 And as you stand, let me read you some scriptures. 476 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,720 I want you to get this in your spirit. 477 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:24,760 First Peter 2, 9 says this, for you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy 478 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,600 nation, his own special people. 479 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,480 And you may proclaim the promises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous 480 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,120 what lights. 481 00:26:35,120 --> 00:26:41,040 First Thessalonians 5, 5 says, you are all sons of light and sons of the day. 482 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,720 We are not of the night nor of darkness. 483 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:49,200 Colossians 1, 12 says, giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to be partakers 484 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:53,160 of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 485 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:57,600 And Ephesians 5, 8 says, you were once in darkness, but you are now the light of the 486 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,000 work in the Lord. 487 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,800 Walk as children of light for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, righteousness 488 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,920 and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord and have no fellowship with the 489 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:12,900 unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 490 00:27:12,900 --> 00:27:17,800 We should never ever look at another set of Christmas lights the same. 491 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,540 It's not about how it makes me feel. 492 00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:23,200 It's about the transfer of authority. 493 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:30,740 Christmas, Jesus come into this earth, set everything back into divine order. 494 00:27:30,740 --> 00:27:33,960 That light rules over the darkness. 495 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:39,320 And as you stand here this morning, you know, I want you to consider this. 496 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:44,800 I want you to think about this because Jesus said that we are light, right? 497 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,080 That we are light. 498 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:51,880 Do you believe that God has in his divine order, if you know Jesus and Lord and Savior, 499 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,680 do you believe that you have authority over the darkness? 500 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:55,680 Amen. 501 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,680 I know this is deep, right? 502 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:04,200 I got digging into this and I'm like, Oh man, I just started peeling back the layers, layer 503 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,920 after layer, right? 504 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:15,760 Light light as authority. 505 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,560 This shifts how we live. 506 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:20,880 This shifts how we think. 507 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:24,320 This shifts how we move. 508 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:29,380 If we understand that Jesus came, some of the some of the divine things that God put 509 00:28:29,380 --> 00:28:35,360 into place that the enemy tried to pervert and tried to shift. 510 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:37,040 Right? 511 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:42,240 So many times we stand and we think darkness has authority over us. 512 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:43,240 So many times. 513 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:44,760 And I'm not saying that darkness doesn't exist. 514 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,640 I'm not saying that you're not in the battle with it, right? 515 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,240 The battle's there and light and dark are separated. 516 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:52,240 It's there. 517 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:57,080 But it does not have authority over me in Christ. 518 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:01,760 Because light always has authority over the darkness. 519 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:02,760 That's what Jesus came. 520 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:08,920 One of the things Jesus came back to set in order, divine order. 521 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,380 So do you believe that in your own heart and life? 522 00:29:12,380 --> 00:29:13,560 Do you believe that? 523 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:21,040 Do you believe that because you are light, because you are in him, you have authority 524 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:23,920 over the darkness? 525 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:29,640 How many know that begins to alleviate some fears in your life? 526 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:34,680 Sometimes I think the enemy works so hard to help us to try to make us think we have 527 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:36,120 no authority. 528 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:40,960 To think that he wants us to think that he has the upper hand. 529 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:42,440 And we're just scraping through. 530 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,920 We're just going to get through. 531 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:45,920 Jesus came. 532 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,240 He was a baby. 533 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,720 You know, and that's all good and fine. 534 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:56,440 There was a divine shift that took place when he came to this earth. 535 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:57,440 Huge. 536 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:02,160 So I'm going to ask you to bow your heads. 537 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:03,160 Where are you at? 538 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:08,600 If you're listening this morning and you don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, if you're listening 539 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:13,080 online this morning, if you're in the house this morning and Jesus is not Lord of your 540 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:18,320 life and he is not Savior of your life, I'm here to tell you darkness can rule over you. 541 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,840 It can have its way with you. 542 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,400 And the only way out of that is through Jesus Christ. 543 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,360 He came to flip the script. 544 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:31,400 He came to shift the authority back to the light. 545 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:35,240 And if you confess him as Lord and Savior, and if you commit to follow him, the word 546 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,040 of God says that you will be saved. 547 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:42,080 And when that salvation takes place, the authority shifts in your life because no longer can 548 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,040 darkness rule in your life. 549 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:49,360 The only way the enemy, if you are saved, the only way the enemy can have foothold in your 550 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:51,480 life is if you let him. 551 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:58,040 If you, if he's convinced you that he has the authority and the power in your life. 552 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:01,680 He can battle us all he wants, but he cannot win the war. 553 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,840 He cannot take authority over what Christ has authority over. 554 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:07,320 So Father, we come to you today. 555 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,600 God, I thank you for each one that's in the house. 556 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:11,280 I thank you for your word. 557 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:13,440 God that teaches us divine order. 558 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:15,640 God it teaches us divine authority. 559 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,560 God it teaches us Lord who we are in you. 560 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:23,360 And God as each one in this house goes into the Christmas season, Lord I want them walking 561 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:24,960 as children of light. 562 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:27,560 God I want them walking in your authority. 563 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,600 God the enemy might come and buffet. 564 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:33,720 The enemy might come and cause war, but he cannot win. 565 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:35,460 He cannot rise above. 566 00:31:35,460 --> 00:31:38,160 He cannot take authority. 567 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,720 We must take authority over the darkness. 568 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:46,120 Because it is your divine assignment for light. 569 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:47,680 Lord I thank you for this day. 570 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:49,720 I thank you for each heart that's here. 571 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:51,760 God I pray that for minds to shift. 572 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,240 I pray for spirits to shift. 573 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,520 God I pray for fear to drop off. 574 00:31:56,520 --> 00:32:00,300 God like dead weight just drop off of lives. 575 00:32:00,300 --> 00:32:05,720 God as they begin to believe in what your word says. 576 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:12,040 And Lord I give you praise and I give you glory and honor this morning. 577 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:13,760 Lord we thank you. 578 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,760 We thank you. 579 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:17,760 In Jesus name. 580 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:18,760 In Jesus name. 581 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:21,760 In amen, in amen, in amen. 582 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,040 Can I share one quick personal story? 583 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:25,400 You all got a minute or two? 584 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:26,960 Raise your hand if you got a minute or two. 585 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:27,960 If not I'll let you out. 586 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:28,960 Alright that's enough of you. 587 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,240 The rest of you are just going to have to put up with it. 588 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:33,240 We sang that song at the beginning. 589 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:34,240 It was a Christmas song right? 590 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:35,600 Oh come all you faithful. 591 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,520 That took me back in my mind to when I was a kid. 592 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:42,320 We got, me and my buddy got picked to sing a special. 593 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:45,440 And I don't know why but we got picked to sing this special. 594 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,680 So we were just little kids right we were young and they put us up front. 595 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:49,680 I remember this very clearly. 596 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:53,040 They put us up in front of the church and it was a church about this size and they put 597 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:56,440 us up front and we were supposed to sing and the music started and my buddy started to 598 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,880 sing and I froze. 599 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,480 I don't know if you ever got stage fright but I literally froze. 600 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:04,900 I froze solid and I was not going to sing. 601 00:33:04,900 --> 00:33:06,800 And I just did it literally the whole time with lip locked. 602 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:07,960 I was just there to support I guess. 603 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:08,960 I don't know. 604 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:10,280 Right I did not sing at all. 605 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:13,060 And he sang he belted out the song and got it all done. 606 00:33:13,060 --> 00:33:17,000 And I remember fear gripping my heart in that moment as a kid. 607 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:20,280 And I remember vowing to myself I will never ever do this again. 608 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,320 I will never get up in front of people. 609 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:23,840 I will not stand in front of people. 610 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,160 I will not ever do this again. 611 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,680 That haunted me till I was in my 30s. 612 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:33,640 It was the fear in my life that gripped me till I would almost puke if I got in front 613 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:34,640 of people. 614 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:37,120 Not much fear would grab a hold of my life. 615 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:41,080 And it was not until I got into God's word and I started to understand it. 616 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:46,880 Listen the enemy will speak in your ear and he will tell you this is who you are. 617 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:48,500 And this is what you are. 618 00:33:48,500 --> 00:33:51,440 And this is the fear is the legitimate fear in your life. 619 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:56,240 And you can just hang on to this and it's okay because right because that happened to 620 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:59,320 you and it's totally understandable. 621 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:03,440 And he will beat you around and convince you that this is okay in your life. 622 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:07,040 And it stalled my ministry for 10 years. 623 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,280 I'm convinced of that. 624 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,280 To not let the enemy take authority over you. 625 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:15,360 You are light. 626 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:22,920 If you are in him, God's divine assignment is for light to have authority over the darkness. 627 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:26,040 He cannot tell you who or what you are. 628 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:27,040 Amen. 629 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:29,120 Cannot do it. 630 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:30,120 He has no right. 631 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,080 He has no authority. 632 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:35,480 He speaks lies the word of God says when he speaks a lie. 633 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,720 When something comes out of Satan's mouth, it's a lie. 634 00:34:38,720 --> 00:34:40,040 It's a perversion of the truth. 635 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:41,040 Amen. 636 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,800 I don't know who this is for this morning but it's for someone. 637 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:46,760 Do not let the enemy do it. 638 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:51,400 He can bind you up for years. 639 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:53,680 One simple thing like that. 640 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:58,000 How many of you are light in here? 641 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:01,760 How many know you have authority over the darkness? 642 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:02,760 Talk like it. 643 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:32,680 Thank you for tuning in to this message from Lifehouse Church. 644 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,240 Amen.